And your bird can sing
by klynnvakarian
Summary: After Virmire, a quiet late night moment aboard the Normandy. A bit of a pre romance for FemShep/Garrus, and friendship between the ground crew. Second part follows the Omega Dossier: Archangel mission. The song I reference is Nothing Better by The Postal Service.
1. Chapter 1

Shepard stood to the side of her cabin door, getting an impression rather than hearing, well she could hear a little through the metal plating, that a bit of a group was gathered in the mess.

_At this hour?_ She thought, stepping to the center of the door frame signaling it to open she crossed the small space to the main table. Hair up as usual, dressed in casuals she could have passed for a regular crewmember at this hour. Her facial scars were the only distinguishing feature she had.

Kaidan had looked up when he heard the door but didn't stop his explanation to Tali. In his hands were two black boxes that she was running her gloved hand over tentatively, avoiding the edges where his fingers pressed against the simple machine. She was tilting her head from side to side, causing the flowing fabric to sway slightly.

"And it's a musical instrument?" She asked, hands back in her lap.

Kaidan turned in his chair to completely face his audience and adjusted the boxes, pantomiming playing a guitar. He pressed a button on the side and six vibrant strings of light grew from one box to the other. His eyebrows drew together, his face adopting the look of a tired, but patient teacher.

"Running your fingers over the strings here," He wiggled his fingers over the wider of the two boxes resting on his leg, "Is called strumming…" Kaidan's fingers met the bright "strings" a soft sound filled the open space.

Shephard continued past the two and landed at the counter with the intention of making tea, it was late she reasoned but a bit of tea never hurt anyone. She listened quietly as Kaidan continued his explanation, focusing on the process. The simplicity of it, in the middle of space brought a sense of normal to her very being. Memories of wandering the corridors of her mother's ship as a child were interrupted by the young alien's own reminiscent tone.

"We do not have anything like this in the fleet, our music is more..."

"Pounding on spare parts hoping for a rhythm?"

Shepard smiled at Garrus as he came out of the elevator, _Turning in to quite the party up here_. Although she reasoned that not many people had been sleeping well since Virmire, she frowned at her cup and shook her head to clear away the fog that had been there ever since returning to the Normandy. Garrus had made his way over past the table, leaning to the side to avoid the little Quarian's playful swing in his direction. A low rumble came from his chest in a way that had to be laughter.

Shephard poured the hot water she had prepared over her tea and had it covered with a plate by the time Garrus joined her, leaning against the counter he tilted his head to listen to Kaidan's lesson. Mandibles clicking against his jaw softly, Shepard could feel that he was content, something in the late hour had settled over the ship and it translated to all species.

Tali folded her arms over her chest and turned back to Kaidan, "Would you play a song for me?" She asked, the lights in her helmet dimming as though they were lowered to the floor.

"Ah, well," Kaidan cleared his throat and looked up at the other two occupants, "I'm not very good, but what would you like to hear?"

"A human love song?" She had asked, unfolding her arms and placing her hands nervously in her lap, her three fingered hands clasping and unclasping the other.

Shepard smiled, Kaidan it seemed, had picked up an admirer. Next to her she could hear another low sound coming from Garrus.

_If he were human I bet he'd be snickering_.

She met his eyes and finally took a drink of tea, he turned back to the seated pair and hers followed.

To his credit Kaidan adjusted the impromptu guitar and curved his shoulders forward, "Well here goes," A slight flush was working it's way up his neck. Against the olive skin it was subtle.

_Will someone please call a surgeon?_

_Who can crack my ribs and repair this broken heart_

_That you're deserting for better company?_

_I can't accept that it's over..._

_And I will block the door like a goalie tending the net_

_In the third quarter of a tied-game rivalry_

Shepard tapped her foot softly as Kaidan played, leaning back against the counter next to Garrus, the two watched on quietly. Shepard saw the increased activity on Garrus' visor, small lines of haptic code running back and forth over the small screen. Tali had stopped her fidgeting and had her full, intense attention on Kaidan as he continued to sing softly.

_Tell me am I right to think that there could be nothing better?_

_Than making you my bride and slowly growing old together_

Setting her cup down between her and Garrus, Shepard took a small step forward with the intention of helping Kaidan out on the next verse, it was after all a duet, and poor Kaidan she thought, was starting to turn pink under the intense scrutiny of the tiny alien girl.

_I feel I must interject here you're getting carried away feeling sorry for yourself_

_With these revisions and gaps in history_

_So let me help you remember._

_I've made charts and graphs that should finally make it clear._

_I've prepared a lecture on why I have to leave_

She smiled around the words, not quite prepared for the three heads that spun her way. Her voice wasn't strong, but it was soft and she could carry the notes well enough. Kaidan smiled and continued to play, exaggerating his hand movements for Tali to see. She looked over at Garrus, and as the song finished he still hadn't taken his attention off of her. His mandibles slightly fluttering, she held the blue gaze until the last verse, smiling. His mandibles shifted up and back to show part of his teeth.

"I do not understand all of this song, but it was lovely." Tali sighed, leaning back in her chair, her gaze focused on Kaidan once more.

"Ah, well, glad you enjoyed it. I didn't know you could sing Commander."

Shepard had to reach around Garrus to retrieve her now cold remainder of tea, she placed it in the wash bin and as she turned back to answer Kaidan, and caught another flash of Garrus' eyes still searching her face.

"Well, I'm much better on the battlefield." She laughed and put her hands on her hips, "I'm glad that our friends here probably haven't heard enough humans singing to know the difference. Anyways isn't it all past your shift time? Get some rest everyone, we still have a long while before we reach the Citadel." Shepard stood watch as Kaidan tucked in the chairs, and Tali waved her goodbye, heading back to the elevator she could hear Tali still talking softly.

"That includes you too Garrus." She brought her arms up in a stretch as far above her head as she could manage, and as they came back down bringing her hands into her pockets she brushed against the cool metal of his armor.

He didn't move. Both of their arms holding steady against the other. Shepard stared at the connecting point, afraid that if she moved this tenuousness bond that had only just formed would break. She wasn't sure when he had moved close enough for this to happen, but she couldn't bring to mind any reason to care.

No one had touched her without purpose in a long time.

"Human music has always sounded, well, strange to me. But I wouldn't mind hearing that song again. If you would be willing to sing again of course." Garrus looked down at Shepard, willing her to bring her face up to meet his.

She looked up, and with a small smile she thanked him and watched his mandibles pull back again slightly. Shepard wanted to ask what it meant, but she just kept smiling at him.

"I'll, ah, be on my way now. Get some rest Shepard, you deserve it." He rumbled low in his chest, and for once Shepard didn't know what it was for. She just watched as he moved away from her and made his own lonely trek to the elevator. He brought a gloved hand up and brushed the point of his armor where they had made contact before disappearing around the corner.

With the ship quiet again Shepard sat down at the deserted table and put her head down on the cold metal surface.


	2. Chapter 2

"Garrus Vakarian don't you dare die on me."

This had gone so, so wrong.

Shepard knew from the moment he took off his helmet, and oh how bright those blue eyes had been, that she never wanted to look away. She had thrown herself at him, folding around his armor nearly taking him off his perch. Ignoring the feeling of even more eyes upon her back she held on tightly with her face pressed against the cool plating of his armor. The memories of earlier touches, light, soft, were crushed under the vibration she could feel running through her. This was far from home, but it was the closest she had been in a long time.

_You wonderful, miserable turian bastard_

She had been worried about Garrus ever since the Illusive Man had told her that he had dropped off of the radar. Somewhere in the back of her mind she had been so disappointed, but there were things to do, colonies to check on, people to save.

"I thought you were dead." Garrus repeated, bringing one hand to touch her armored shoulder.

A million thoughts were running through her mind, and as they worked through a plan she found herself filled with a determination she hadn't felt since she had woken up. The panic that took over the room as everyone threw themselves into cover to avoid the gunship was nothing compared to the chaos inside her mind because she had taken his eyes off of him.

"Please." Shepard hadn't left the med bay since Chakwas had let her back in. She watched as he breathed, the plates on his ridged nose moving as the larger plates shifted to allow the expanding and contracting of softer fleshy hide working steadily. Any other time she would have loved this opportunity to watch him. But not like this.

Running her fingers along his hand, finally ungloved, rough and smooth all at once she could still feel where he had reached up and touched her. Had she even washed his blood off of her face? Her hair? Garrus' blind reaching had found purchase on her cheek, most of her mouth and chin he had even managed to pull down a chunk of sweat curled hair which had stuck to his gloves. Shepard held on to his three fingers tightly whenever she felt him stir, brief bouts of lucidity that Chakwas warned would be common until his body was fully ready to accept the trauma and move on.

Garrus began to fidget on the bed, talons lightly scratching the sheets and Shepard's hand.

"She…mmm…member your…inging…"

"Shhh, Garrus it's alright." Gathering his hand into both of hers she leaned forward curling herself over the bed, head resting on his elbow. She felt his arm flex, tightening.

"It's alright, I promise. Garrus please." Tears began to fall, running past her cheeks and dripped on to the bed, carrying the last flakes of his blood to the sheets. Big bad Commander Shephard in tears, she was sure Joker would have a good laugh about this later but she was finding it hard to focus on anything except this big pile of blue and silver and spikes in front of her and the guilt of putting him in this situation.

Shepard pulled herself upright and without dropping the turian's hand she worked her way on to the bed. She placed her free hand on his sternum, or was it keel bone? She'd ask later, and held herself steady for the count of three more breaths on Garrus' part, and in a warbly voice she began singing as softly as she could.

_Will someone please call a surgeon_

She stopped to take a shaky breath.

_Who can crack my ribs and repair this broken heart_

_That you're deserting for better company?_

"Shepard, love." A warm hand touched her shoulder, giving her a gentle shake.

She raised her head.

"Chakwas?" She said sleepily, her eyes felt tight and there was an ache in her neck that registered in her brain as 'falling asleep in an awkward position.' She sat up and looked down at Garrus, still asleep, his breathing steady. Just like he had been before.

"Shepard, go get some rest," The doctor smiled softly as she brushed some of the hair back from the younger woman's face. "He'll be okay." Chakwas helped Shepard to her feet and guided her to the med bay doors and watched through the glass as she shuffled to the elevator.

"No one would give me a mirror." and without waiting for the other human in the room to excuse himself, the one he was certain he hadn't seen before, he crossed the floor to Shepard. Garrus watched as her eyes flew from somewhere above his head to the bandages, and the charred mess of his armor and back again.

Shepard breathed in deep, "Hell Garrus," and was cut off by the wall of blue directly in front of her.

His arms came up and hovered at her shoulders, and then moved up to her face and began pulling her hair forward. Tangling his fingers in the wave of curls surrounding this tiny human's face Garrus flared his good mandible and Shepard watched as he pulled in air through the side of his mouth before he spoke.

"There's no better company than you Shepard."


End file.
